Highly fault-tolerant method for evaluating phase signals

ABSTRACT

The invention relates to a method for unambiguously determining a physical parameter Φ using m phase-measured values α i  with 1≦i≦m, whereby the phase-measured values α i  have different, integer periodicity values n i  and an integer periodicity difference (a) with Δn&gt;1 within an unambiguous range E of the physical parameter Φ. A value T with (b) and (c) is calculated based on the phase-measured values α i  and the periodicity values n i  thereof, and, within a reduced unambiguous range E red  with (d), a value V is allocated to the value T by allocation according to (e), wherein T Uk  stands for a respective lower limit and T Ok  for a respective upper limit of T. The allocation intervals between the upper (T Ok ) and the lower limits (T Uk ) for T, as wells as the distances (f) correspond at least to the periodicity difference Δn. In order to determine the physical parameter Φ, value V is added up with the C phase-measured values α i  in a weighted manner. 
     
       
         
           
             
               
                 
                   
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TECHNICAL AREA

The present invention relates to a method for determining a physical parameter φ according to the preamble of claim 1, and a circuit design for carrying out the method, according to claim 8.

RELATED ART

With some technical measurement tasks, two or more phase-measured values are obtained, which are used to determine the physical parameter to be measured, e.g., an angle or a distance. These phase signals pass through several periods over an unambiguous range E of the parameter to be measured, i.e., they are also ambiguous within the unambiguous range E of the parameter to be measured. The number of periods of phase signal α_(i) in unambiguous range E is referred to as periodicity value n_(i); index i extends from 1 to m, with m representing the number of phase signals. The mathematical relationship between phase signals α_(i) and unambiguous measured value Φ, e.g., an angle or a distance, can therefore be defined as follows:

$\begin{matrix} {{\alpha_{i} = {\underset{1}{mod}\left( {n_{i} \cdot \Phi} \right)}},{i = 1},\ldots \mspace{14mu},m} & (I) \end{matrix}$

In equation (I), all signals are normalized such that they extend across a value range of 0 to 1. In FIG. 2, phase signals α₁ and α₂ are shown over unambiguous range E for Φ=0, . . . , 1. In the example depicted in FIG. 2, the periodicity values are chosen as n₁=7 and n₂=9.

With some applications, the periodicity values can be chosen in the design phase of the system. In other applications, the periodicity values are predefined. This can be the case with interferometry, e.g., when the wavelengths and/or wavelength relationships are defined by basic physical conditions.

Examples of technical systems with phase signals include:

-   -   Distance measurement using RADAR or modulated laser light. A         total of m measurements are carried out at various frequencies         f₁, . . . , f_(m). The signals reflected by an object at         distance x have the following phase-measured values at the         receiver location:

$\alpha_{i} = \frac{2 \cdot \pi \cdot f_{i} \cdot 2 \cdot x}{c}$

where c=the speed of light. The desired distance x is determined by solving the linear system of equations for x. The phase-measured values are therefore proportional to the parameter to be measured and the frequency used. The actual phase-measured values are always within the range of 0 to 2π, however, so they are always only determined in terms of integer multiples of 2π. In a normalized depiction, the phase-measured values are always located in the range of 0 to 1, and they are limited to integer multiples of 1.

-   -   Unambiguous angle measurement at a shaft over several         revolutions. The shaft drives two rotating elements, e.g., using         gears (see FIG. 2). Angular-position sensors are mounted on         these rotating elements. The angular position values measured by         these sensors are phase signals α₁ and α₂. By making a suitable         choice for the number of teeth, it is possible to unambiguously         determine angle Φ of the shaft over several revolutions using         this system. The number of teeth is chosen such that the number         of periods of phase signals passed through across the         unambiguous range differs by exactly 1. A system of this type         and a method for determining angle Φ of the shaft is made known         in DE 195 06 938 A1.

Similar evaluation methods that are known as modified vernier methods are made known in DE 101 42 449 A1 and WO 03/004974 A1.

In those cases, the desired physical parameter is calculated by evaluating the phase-measured values from the phase signals. The calculation must be as accurate as possible. At the same time, measurement errors in the phase signals should not immediately cause the evaluation method to fail.

The known evaluation methods have one thing in common, namely that they tolerate faults in the input signals up to a bound that depends on the particular design. If the faults exceed this bound, large errors in the output signal can occur. The result is that the evaluation methods no longer function correctly.

DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION AND ITS ADVANTAGES

The disadvantages of the related art are avoided with an inventive method of the species named initially by the fact that the periodicity values n_(i) have an integer periodicity difference

Δn=|n _(i) −n _(i−1)|

with Δn>1; within a reduced unambiguous range E_(red), with

$E_{red} \approx {\frac{1}{\Delta \; n} \cdot E}$

value V is assigned to value T based on

$V = {{V(T)} = \left\{ \begin{matrix} {{V_{1}\mspace{14mu} {for}\mspace{14mu} T} \geq T_{O\; 1}} \\ {{V_{2}\mspace{14mu} {for}\mspace{14mu} T_{U\; 2}} \leq T < T_{O\; 2}} \\ {{V_{3}\mspace{14mu} {for}\mspace{14mu} T_{U\; 3}} \leq T < T_{O\; 3}} \\ \ldots \\ {{V_{k}\mspace{14mu} {for}\mspace{14mu} T} < T_{Uk}} \end{matrix} \right.}$

in which T_(Uk) stands for a particular lower limit, and T_(Ok) stands for a particular upper limit of T, and the assignment intervals

ΔT=T _(Ok) −T _(Uk)|

between the upper and lower limits for T, and the distances

ΔV=|V _(k+1) −V _(k)|

between adjacent values V_(k)—which are assigned to different values T separated by ΔT—correspond to periodicity difference Δn at the least. As a result, by performing the assignment within the reduced unambiguous range E_(red), a fault tolerance for phase-measured values α_(i) that is multiplied by at least the factor Δn is attained, as compared with performing the assignment within the unambiguous range E, in order to determine physical parameter Φ. The following apply for the indices k of the upper and lower limits for T:

kε{1, . . . i}εN.

The basic point of the present invention is to be able to use the phase evaluation known as the modified vernier method to unambiguously determine a physical parameter q) even with systems that have considerable faults in the input signals.

If the periodicity values are established by the system or the basic physical conditions, the present invention results in a more robust evaluation than with the known methods. The reduction in unambiguous range E associated therewith to a reduced unambiguous range E_(red) can often be tolerated.

The inventive method has the advantage that its robustness is multifold greater than that of evaluation methods known in the related art. The increase in the robustness of the evaluation method is attained essentially at the expense of unambiguous range E, which is decreased in size to reduced unambiguous range E_(red). In reduced unambiguous range E_(red), however, much greater limits can be chosen for the assignment of V=V(T) T_(Uk) and T_(Ok), thereby increasing the fault tolerance for phase-measured values α_(i). These limits are typically greater than periodicity difference Δn of periodicity values n_(i). In this case, “robustness” refers to the tolerance to faults in the phase signals. It is that much greater, the greater the faults in the phase signals are allowed to be, while the evaluation functions correctly.

The present invention also relates to a circuit design for evaluating phase signals as described, which requires only a small outlay for hardware and/or software.

A brief description of the drawing, which includes:

FIG. 1 a schematic depiction of a system for the unambiguous measurement of the angle of rotation Φ of a shaft by measuring phase signals α₁, α₂ at the gears driven by the shaft,

FIG. 2 a depiction of the periodic course of phase signals α₁, α₂, with periodicity values n₁, n₂, over angle of rotation Φ of the shaft,

FIG. 3 a circuit diagram of a system for signal evaluation, according to the related art,

FIG. 4 a depiction of the course of parameter T defined via the phase signals and their periodicity value in FIG. 2,

FIG. 5 a circuit design for carrying out the inventive method, with which the angle of rotation Φ is permitted to exceed unambiguous range E_(red),

FIG. 6 a detailed view of a circuit design for carrying out the inventive, modified rounding in FIG. 5, and

FIG. 7 a circuit diagram of a further circuit design for carrying out the method according to the present invention.

WAYS TO IMPLEMENT THE PRESENT INVENTION

The description of the method applies to systems with two phase signals α₁ and α₂. It is also possible, in principle, to apply the method to systems with several phase signals α_(i), with 1≦i≦m, that is, with m dimensions.

As a prerequisite for the use of the inventive method, there must be an integer periodicity difference Δn=|n₂−n₁| greater than one. That is, the following applies:

Δn=2, 3, 4, 5,  (II)

When normalized, the reduced unambiguous range is approximately 1/Δn. In the case of two-wavelength interferometry with wavelengths λ₁ and λ₂, this reduced unambiguous essentially corresponds to “synthetic wavelength” Λ, with

$\Lambda = {\frac{\lambda_{1}\lambda_{2}}{{\lambda_{1} - \lambda_{2}}}.}$

The method is explained with reference to a system with gears as shown in FIG. 1. The number of teeth Z₀, Z₁ and Z₂ of gears A, B, C are chosen such that periodicities n₁=7 and n₂=9 result for phase-measured values α₁, α₂. Unambiguous range E of rotational angles Φ then typically extends over several revolutions of the shaft on which gear A is mounted.

FIG. 3 shows a typical design for signal evaluation using the known method described in the related art. Based on phase-measured values α₁ and α₂, a parameter T defined as

T=α ₁ ·n ₂−α₂ ·n ₁  (III)

is formed. In the ideal case, i.e., when α₁ and α₂ contain no faults, this parameter T must be a whole number, due to theoretical considerations. In reality, the value of T is generally not a whole number. Therefore, using a rounding operation

V=round(T)  (IV)

it is depicted as a integer value V. The rounding operation in equation (IV) delivers the desired result, provided faults e₁ and e₂ in phase-measured values α₁ and α₂ are less than bound e_(max). The following applies for e_(max):

$\begin{matrix} {e_{\max} = \frac{180{^\circ}}{n_{1} + n_{2}}} & (V) \end{matrix}$

If the faults become greater, it is no longer ensured that integer number V is correctly assigned to value T according to equation (IV).

FIG. 4 shows the course of parameter T according to equation (III) over angle Φ for the example n₁=7, n₂=9 and Δn=2.

Considering a window of Φ=0, . . . , 0.444, one sees that V is only defined by values −6, −4, −2, 0, 3, 5 and 7. The distance between these values is always ≧Δn. This property is utilized by the inventive method. If, for the periodicity value stated above, one remains within a reduced unambiguous range E_(red) of

$\begin{matrix} {{E_{red} \approx \left\{ {{\Phi = 0},\ldots \mspace{14mu},{\Phi = {\frac{1}{2} \cdot \frac{n_{2} - 1}{n_{2}}}}} \right\}},} & ({VI}) \end{matrix}$

an assignment can be used that corresponds to a modified rounding, which only permits the values stated above for V. This means, V is determined from T via the assignment

$\begin{matrix} {V = {{V(T)} = \left\{ \begin{matrix} {{7\mspace{14mu} {for}\mspace{14mu} T} \geq 6} \\ {{5\mspace{14mu} {for}\mspace{14mu} 4} \leq T < 6} \\ {{3\mspace{14mu} {for}\mspace{14mu} 1.5} \leq T < 4} \\ {{{0\mspace{14mu} {for}}\mspace{14mu} - 1} \leq T < 1.5} \\ {{{{- 2}\mspace{14mu} {for}}\mspace{14mu} - 3} \leq T < {- 1}} \\ {{{{- 4}\mspace{14mu} {for}}\mspace{14mu} - 5} \leq T < {- 3}} \\ {{{- 6}\mspace{14mu} {for}\mspace{14mu} T} < {- 5}} \end{matrix} \right.}} & ({VII}) \end{matrix}$

It is now possible to ensure that entire value V is correctly assigned to value T when errors e₁ and e₂ in phase-measured values α₁ and α₂ do not exceed bound

$\begin{matrix} {e_{\max} = {2 \cdot \frac{180{^\circ}}{n_{1} + n_{2}}}} & ({VIII}) \end{matrix}$

This bound is higher than bound given in equation (V) by the factor Δn=2, with the result that the inventive method is more robust by the factor Δn=2.

A similar procedure can be formulated for Δn=3, 4, . . . . The bound for permissible faults increases to

$\begin{matrix} {{e_{\max} = {\Delta \; {n \cdot \frac{180{^\circ}}{n_{1} + n_{2}}}}},} & ({IX}) \end{matrix}$

the unambiguous range reduces to approximately

$E_{red} \approx {\frac{E}{\Delta \; n}.}$

It is important to note that reduced unambiguous range E_(red), with

E _(red)={Φ|Φ_(Ured)≦Φ≦Φ_(Ored)},

with lower and upper limits Φ_(Ured) and Φ_(Ored) of reduced unambiguous range E_(red), can form a window located anywhere within the unambiguous range

E={Φ|Φ _(U)≦Φ≦Φ_(O)},

with lower and upper limits Φ_(U) and Φ_(O) of unambiguous range E; the following applies for range B_(Ered) of reduced unambiguous range E_(red):

$\begin{matrix} {B_{E_{red}} = {{\Phi_{Ored} - \Phi_{Ured}}}} \\ {\approx \frac{B_{E}}{\Delta \; n}} \\ {= \frac{{\Phi_{O} - \Phi_{U}}}{\Delta \; n}} \end{matrix}$

After V is assigned to T according to equation (VII), V is processed further to obtain desired angle of rotation Φ. The next processing steps are to multiply V by a factor M₃, weight the phase-measured values, and sum M₃·V with weighted phase-measured values α₁ and α₂:

Φ=M ₃ ·V+w ₁·α₁ +w ₂·α₂.  (X)

The following applies for weighting factors w_(i):

$1 = {\sum\limits_{i = 1}^{m}{w_{i} \cdot n_{i}}}$

and

$w_{i} \approx \frac{1}{m \cdot n_{i}}$

in which case the weighting factors are chosen such that they can be depicted entirely using the binary system used in the circuit design. The following preferably applies:

$w_{i} = \frac{1}{m \cdot n_{i}}$

From the result of equation (X), only the non-integer portion is used (modulo operation). In the example under consideration, the following factors can be chosen, e.g.:

M₃=0.4365 w ₁= 1/14 w ₂= 1/18

A system for carrying out the inventive method described above is shown in FIG. 7. The assignment of V as V=V(T) is carried out using a system for modified rounding described in greater detail in FIG. 6.

In some cases, reduced unambiguous range E_(red) is not adequate. The method described can then be expanded with consideration for the last angle value Φ_(alt): Input values α₁ and α₂ are modified such that they fall within reduced unambiguous range E_(red). This shift is undone after the evaluation.

Φ₀ is the midpoint of reduced unambiguous range E_(red). The following applies:

$\Phi_{0} = {\Phi_{Ured} + {\frac{B_{E_{red}}}{2}.}}$

Using the depiction

α₁′=α₁ −n ₁·(Φ_(alt)−Φ₀)

α₂′=α₂ −n ₂·(Φ_(alt)−Φ₀)  (XI)

the phase signals are modified such that they originate in the center Φ₀ of the reduced unambiguous range. The signals are then evaluated as described above. This shift is then undone in the last step. FIG. 5 shows a system for realizing the method described, with depiction of the phase signals on reduced unambiguous range E_(red). In this case as well, the assignment of V as V=V(T) is carried out using the system of modified rounding described in greater detail in FIG. 6.

This ensures that the phase-measures values α_(i) that are actually measured physically are always located in the reduced unambiguous range, thereby allowing the increased robustness of the inventive method to be utilized. As an alternative, it is also possible to adapt the assignment rule defined per equation (VII) to the last angle value.

It is important that the method not be integrating, even through the last angle value was incorporated. This means that potential faults in output signal Φ are not integrated.

An effective design of the depiction of value T as V can take place using the system depicted in FIG. 6. If this system is used in the current example (n₁=7, n₂=9) with a reduced unambiguous range

E _(red)={Φ|0≦Φ≦0.444}

it is advantageous to use the value 0.222 for Φ.

Physical parameter Φ is not limited to an angle of rotation. Instead, it can be a distance or the like.

INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY

The prevent invention has industrial application, in particular, in tasks in which an exact and robust value for a physical parameter must be determined out of several phase signals, e.g., multifrequency distance measurement, measuring the angle of rotation, or the combined measurement of angular rotation and torque. 

1. A method for unambiguously determining a physical parameter φ, comprising the steps of using m phase-measured values α_(i), with 1≦i≦m, whereby the phase-measured values α_(i) have different, integer periodicity values n_(i) within an unambiguous range E of the physical parameter φ; based on the phase-measured values α_(i) and their periodicity values n_(i), calculating a value T, whereby T=T(α_(j) , n _(l)) and j,lεZ{l, . . . , i}; then assigning a value V to value T; adding phase-measured values α_(i) in a weighted manner to value V to determine the physical parameter φ, wherein the periodicity values n_(i) have an integer periodicity difference Δn=|n _(i) −n _(i−1)| and j,lεZ{1, . . . , m], with j≠l with Δn>1; within a reduced unambiguous range E_(red), with $E_{red} \approx {\frac{1}{\Delta \; n} \cdot E}$ assigning value V to value T using the following scheme: $V = {{V(T)} = \left\{ \begin{matrix} V_{1} & {{{for}\mspace{14mu} T} \geq T_{O\; 1}} \\ V_{2} & {{{for}\mspace{14mu} T_{U\; 2}} \leq T < T_{O\; 2}} \\ V_{3} & {{{for}\mspace{14mu} T_{U\; 3}} \leq T < T_{O\; 3}} \\ \ldots & \; \\ V_{k} & {{{for}\mspace{14mu} T} < T_{Uk}} \end{matrix} \right.}$ in which T_(Uk) stands for the particular lower limit, and T_(Ok) stands for the particular upper limit of T, and the assignment intervals ΔT=|T _(Ok) −T _(Uk)| between the upper limit (T_(Ok)) and the lower limit (T_(Uk)) for T, and the distances ΔV=|V _(k+1) −V _(k)| correspond to at least one periodicity difference Δn.
 2. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the value V=V(T) is a whole number (VεZ) and, before being added with phase-measured values α_(i) to determine φ, it is weighted by multiplying it by a weighing factor (M₃).
 3. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein, before the phase-measured values α_(i) are added to determine φ, they are weighted by multiplying them by their own weighing factors w_(i), with 1≦i≦m.
 4. The method as recited in claim 3, wherein, the weighting factors w_(i) are preferably chosen as $w_{i} = \frac{1}{m \cdot n_{i}}$ with $1 = {\sum\limits_{i = 1}^{m}{w_{i} \cdot n_{i}}}$
 5. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the reduced unambiguous range E_(red), with E _(red)={Φ|Φ_(Ured)≦Φ≦Φ_(Ored)}, forms a window located anywhere within the unambiguous range E={Φ|Φ _(U)≦Φ≦Φ_(O)}, and the following applies for the range of the reduced unambiguous range: $\begin{matrix} {B_{E_{red}} = {{\Phi_{Ored} - \Phi_{Ured}}}} \\ {\approx \frac{B_{E}}{\Delta \; n}} \\ {= \frac{{\Phi_{O} - \Phi_{U}}}{\Delta \; n}} \end{matrix}$
 6. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein to determine a value of the physical parameter φ located outside of the reduced unambiguous range E_(red), the last value φ_(alt) located within the reduced unambiguous range E_(red) is saved; a value Φ₀ corresponding to the midpoint of the reduced unambiguous range E_(red) is subtracted from this value φ_(alt), and the difference Φ_(alt)−Φ₀ is used to modify the phase-measured values as follows: α_(i)′=α_(i) −n _(i)·(φ_(alt)−φ₀); the modified phase-measured values α_(i)′ therefore originate in the center of the reduced unambiguous range E_(red); the value T is then calculated using the modified phase values α_(i)′, and the value V is assigned to the value T using the following scheme: $V = {{V(T)} = \left\{ \begin{matrix} V_{1} & {{{for}\mspace{14mu} T} \geq T_{O\; 1}} \\ V_{2} & {{{for}\mspace{14mu} T_{U\; 2}} \leq T < T_{O\; 2}} \\ V_{3} & {{{for}\mspace{14mu} T_{U\; 3}} \leq T < T_{O\; 3}} \\ \ldots & \; \\ V_{k} & {{{for}\mspace{14mu} T} < T_{Uk}} \end{matrix} \right.}$ and the desired physical parameter φ is determined by summing the phase-measured values α_(i)′ with V and the difference φ_(alt)−φ₀, to obtain: $\Phi = {{M_{3} \cdot V} + \left( {\Phi_{alt} - \Phi_{0}} \right) + {\sum\limits_{i = 1}^{m}{w_{i} \cdot \alpha_{i}^{\prime}}}}$
 7. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein, to determine the physical parameter φ, two phase-measured values α₁ and α₂ with periodicities n₁=7 and n₂=9 are identified in the unambiguous range E of φ; a reduced unambiguous range E _(red)=0.444·E is considered, and T is calculated, as follows: T=T(α_(j) , n _(i))=α₁ ·n ₂−α₂ ·n ₁ in which case the following applies within the reduced unambiguous range E_(red) $V = {{V(T)} = \left\{ \begin{matrix} 7 & {{{for}\mspace{14mu} T} \geq 6} \\ 5 & {{{for}\mspace{14mu} 4} \leq T < 6} \\ 3 & {{{for}\mspace{14mu} 1.5} \leq T < 4} \\ 0 & {{{for}\mspace{14mu} - 1} \leq T < 1.5} \\ {- 2} & {{{for}\mspace{14mu} - 3} \leq T < {- 1}} \\ {- 4} & {{{for}\mspace{14mu} - 5} \leq T < {- 3}} \\ {- 6} & {{{for}\mspace{14mu} T} < {- 5}} \end{matrix} \right.}$ and φ is calculated, as follows: φ=M ₃ ·V+w ₁·α₁ +w ₂·α₂ with M₃=0.4365, w₁= 1/14 and w₂= 1/18.
 8. A circuit design for carrying out a method claim 1, comprising means for identifying at least two phase-measured values α_(i) that differ by a periodicity difference Δn greater than 1 and have integer periodicity values n_(i) within an unambiguous range E of a physical parameter φ to be determined, means for calculating a value T based on phase-measured values α_(i) and periodicity values n_(i), means for assigning a value V to the calculated value T according to the following scheme: $V = {{V(T)} = \left\{ \begin{matrix} V_{1} & {{{for}\mspace{14mu} T} \geq T_{O\; 1}} \\ V_{2} & {{{for}\mspace{14mu} T_{U\; 2}} \leq T < T_{O\; 2}} \\ V_{3} & {{{for}\mspace{14mu} T_{U\; 3}} \leq T < T_{O\; 3}} \\ \ldots & \; \\ V_{k} & {{{for}\mspace{14mu} T} < T_{Uk}} \end{matrix} \right.}$ in which T_(Uk) stands for the particular lower limit, and T_(Ok) stands for the particular upper limit of T, and the assignment intervals ΔT=|T _(Ok) −T _(Uk)| between the upper (T_(Ok)) limit and the lower limit (T_(Uk)) for T, and the distances ΔV=|V _(k+1) −V _(k)| correspond to the periodicity difference Δn at the least, and means for adding the phase-measured values α_(i) and the value V to determine φ. 